Apparatus and method for efficiently generating power when a door is acted upon by an outside force

ABSTRACT

A system for generating electricity from the motion of a door is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes an AC or a DC generator acted upon by a flexible member coupled to at or near an edge of a door opposite a hinge. The sweep of the door causes the flexible member to impart rotary motion to the generator, thereby generating electricity.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/328,324, filed Dec. 16, 2011, which claims benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/423,859, filed Dec. 16, 2010,both of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the apparatus and method related togenerating electricity and directing it to applications within oroutside of a given structure via harnessing the energy imparted on adoorway when it is acted upon by an outside force.

2. Description of the Related Art

Due to the ever increasing global reliance on fossil fuels andnon-renewable resources, there is a growing need to develop renewableenergy technologies. Throughout the world there are a number ofstructures that experience an extremely high value of foot trafficthrough their entranceways on a daily basis. Every time a door is openedby an outside force acts on the doorway. Energy is imparted to a doorwhen it is opened, but this energy is either wasted, or captured in aninefficient or unfeasible manner. There exists great potential togenerate vast amounts of electricity if a highly efficient system isdeveloped to capture the kinetic energy of an opening door and generateelectricity from it. Generated electricity can either be stored inbatteries or routed directly to a host of applications either inside oroutside of a given structure. Applications include passive heating andcooling, security screening equipment, mobile device charging stations,alarm and fire systems, vending machines, and any and all applicationswithin or outside of a building. Present methods of supplementingtraditional electricity sources include solar panels. Unfortunately theefficiency and yield of solar panels is restricted by weather andlighting conditions. A system that generates electricity from the actionof doors could generate vast amounts of electricity in a highlypredictable, less constrained, more efficient manner.

Electrical generators such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,236,152 and 7,795,746 involve either bulky and inefficient designsthat do not maximize the generated electricity. Both designs do notgenerate a maximum of electricity because the sweep of the door at thehinge side is much less then at the side opposite the hinges. The moresweep that is captured, the more revolutions in the generator thattranslates to, the more generated electricity. Also, integration into adoorway of both generators is extremely complex as the devices are notmodular, and involve extensive retrofitting or installation into thedoorway itself.

Thus, there is a needed for an improved energy generator that may beinterfaced with a doorway.

SUMMARY

A system for generating electricity from the motion of a door isprovided. In one embodiment, the system includes an AC or a DC generatoracted upon by a flexible member coupled to at or near an edge of a dooropposite a hinge. The sweep of the door causes the flexible member toimpart rotary motion to the generator, thereby generating electricity.

In one embodiment, an energy generating system is provided that includesa flexible member, a generator and an engagement device. The flexiblemember has a first end fixable to a door. The engagement device iscoupled to the generator and interfaced with the flexible member. Theengagement device is operable to provide an input rotation to thegenerator when the flexible member is pulled in a first direction.

In one embodiment, an energy generating system is provided that includesa door coupled at a first edge to a structure by a hinge, a flexiblemember having a first end coupled to a door, a generator, and anengagement device coupled to the generator. The flexible member has afirst end coupled adjacent a second edge of the door. The engagementdevice is interfaced with the flexible member and operable to provide aninput rotation to the generator when the flexible member is pulled in afirst direction.

In another embodiment, an energy generating system is provided thatincludes a flexible member, a generator, and an engagement device housedin a casing. The flexible member extends through an aperture formedthrough the casing and has a first end fixable to a door. The engagementdevice is coupled to the generator and interfaced with the flexiblemember. The engagement device is operable to provide an input rotationto the generator when the flexible member is pulled in a firstdirection.

In yet another embodiment, a method for generating energy is providethat includes opening a hinged door to cause a flexible member coupledbetween the door and a generator to move in a first direction, andcausing an input rotation to the generator by movement of the flexiblemember in the first direction, the input rotation causing electricity tobe generated by the generator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The aforementioned and other features of this invention, as well as themanner of attaining them, will be illustrated more clearly byexamination of the associated drawings. The invention itself, as well asits clear improvements and advantages of all prior art will be madeclear by careful examination of the illustrations.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an entranceway or door assembly with oneembodiment of an electricity generation system mounted to the doorway.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the entranceway or door assembly withthe electricity generation system of FIG. 1 mounted to the doorwayillustrating a sweep analysis.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a method for generatingelectricity utilizing a motion of a hinged door.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of an entranceway or door assemblywith one embodiment of an electricity generation system mounted to thedoorway according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the electricity generation system ofFIG. 4.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have beenused, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common tothe figures. It is contemplated that elements and features of oneembodiment may be beneficially incorporated in other embodiments withoutfurther recitation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention supersedes the prior art in efficiency,functionality, applicability, and yield by applying a system forgenerating electricity having a modular design that includes a flexiblemember that connects to a door at or near the point of greatest sweep asthe door is opened. The present invention thus captures the greatestamount of motion and converts that motion into revolutions of agenerator, thus generating electricity. The advantage of the presentinvention is also that the generator retains momentum even after actionupon the door has ceased, this means that even once a door is closed,the generator is still free to continue spinning, and thus generatingelectricity. One embodiment of the present design does not required anysignificant modifications to an existing doorway, it is not necessary tointegrate it into the hinges of the doorway, or, in some embodiments,into the wall of the doorway. The system can be added to any entrancewaythat involves a door opening and closing on hinges with no significantmodifications to the doorway as the system can be simply mounted in ashort amount of time, and then the generated electricity can beintegrated into the building structure.

It is clearly beneficial to have a more efficient, easier to install,higher yield system for harnessing the vast amounts of energy dissipatedby humans when interacting with doorways.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides either an AC or a DCgenerator including a flywheel type electricity generation device actedupon by a flexible member. The system is installed on any entrancewayincluding a door mounted on hinges either with or without a frame. Thesystem is specifically engaged with the side of the door opposite thehinges, for the explicit purpose of maximizing the amount of kineticenergy captured when the doorway is acted upon. When considering adoorway that is opened such as the one in FIG. 2, a sweep analysisreveals the true advantages of mounting the generator in this inventiveway. The angle at the hinge side is equal to the angle at the sideopposite the hinge. Due to the relationship between arc length, radius,and angle, it is clear that the arc length represented by the sweep ofthe door is much greater at the side opposite the hinges then at thehinges. This greater sweep results in a significantly higher yield onthe part of the generator due to the increased revolutions, the higherangular velocity developed by the generator, as well as the angle ofaction between the flexible member and the doorway. This positioningserves to maximize the generated electricity in a way that is impossiblevia the application of prior art.

In one embodiment, the generation system includes a modular flywheeltype electricity generator for mounting on a frame, wall, entranceway,door frame or other structure. A flexible member connects the door tothe generator via a flexible member connected on the door at or near thepoint of greatest sweep. As a result, action upon the door results inrotation in the flywheel generator via the pulling of the flexiblemember from its housing in the generator. As the flexible member ispulled through the sweep of the door, the generator mechanism is rotatedat a fairly high angular velocity. As the door closes, the flexiblemember retracts back into the generator, but does not affect theexisting motion developed in the flywheel. The generator mechanismcontinues to retain momentum even after the action has ceased, and thusit continues to generate electricity. As a result, multiple openings inquick succession will only serve to continue to transfer additionalmomentum to the generator device.

In one embodiment the generator is a pancake-type generator which ishoused in a casing. The casing is adapted to mount to a door frame andincludes an engagement device configured with a spring loaded or otherretraction mechanism to store a flexible member interfacing thegenerator with the door. In one embodiment, the casing includes acut-out along its length so that the casing may be installed flush witha door frame despite the presence of a raised doorstop component of thedoor frame.

One advantage over the prior art is the ease of installation, and themodular design of the generator.

Another advantage is that the door does not need to be removed toinstall some embodiments of the system, and no alterations need to bemade to the doorway, or wall.

This invention is advantaged over prior art due to its improvedefficiency, and it ability to capture more of the kinetic energyimparted to a door upon action.

Yet another advantage is that embodiment of this system have the abilityto continue generating electricity even after the action has ceased.

This energy generating system has the ability to power devices otherthen just low current devices. Due to the high angular velocitiesdeveloped in the generator, higher current electricity can be generated,thus the range of potential applications increases dramatically.

Another advantage of some embodiments is the application of a flexiblemember coupled with a fairlead or pulley to guide the member through thesweep of the door. A rigid member in a similar application would resultin energy losses due to the inability of the member to flex to the sweepof the door. The flexible member experiences minor losses whiletraversing the sweep, and always maintains an optimal angle of actionbetween the member and the door. This also serves to maximize electricalgeneration.

Yet another advantage of some embodiments is that this system is notconnected to a shaft and gear box by which a generator is rotated. As aresult, the generator is free to move at much higher angular velocities,and it is not restricted by the motion of the gear box. This system hasthe ability to move through a much wider range of motion, and thuscapture significantly more of the kinetic energy imparted on the doorwaythen prior systems. Also, the motion of the generator itself is notconstrained by the motion of the door due to the integration of aretraction mechanism into the engagement device for the flexible member.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an electricitygenerating system 100 is interfaced with a door 104 mounted to a doorway158 formed in a structure 102, such as a wall 134, or door frame. Thedoor 104 includes a first side 108 coupled by hinges 106 to thestructure 102 and a second side 110 located opposite the first side 108.The displacement of the door 104 about the hinges 106 defines the sweepof the door 104. The point of smallest sweep 122 is shown proximate thefirst side 108 of the door 104, as well as the point of greatest sweep124 proximate the second side 110 of the door 104. In one embodiment,the invention takes advantage of the point of greatest sweep 124 forproviding input for the energy generating system 100, serving as one ofthe points of novelty of the application of this system. The electricitygenerating system 100 includes a flexible member 114 and a generator 152(shown in phantom). The generator 152 may be mounted on top of, below,to, or within the structure 102 (i.e., the wall 134, floor 132, orceiling 130) or to a door frame 148 of a doorway 158 in which the door104 is mounted. A distal end 112 of the flexible member 114 is coupledto or in close proximity to the second side 110 of the door 104. Theflexible member 114 extends from the second side 110 of the door 104through a pulley or fairlead 116 to the generator 152. When the door 104is opened as indicated by arrow 140, the flexible member 114 is pulledin a first direction as indicated by arrow 142 through the sweep ofmotion of the door 104, which in turn causes the generator 152 torotate, thereby generating electricity.

The flexible member 114 allows the generator 152 to be positioned remotefrom (e.g., not mounted on) the door 104 and hinges 106. By mounting thepulley or fairlead 116 proximate a side 152 of the doorway 158 in whichthe door 104 is mounted way from the hinges 106, the flexible member 114will be pulled a greater length being at or proximate to the maximumsweep 124 while still allowing the generator 152 to be mounted remotefrom the door 104. The flexible member 114 may be a cable, wire, rope,chain, belt, line or other suitable elongated item that allows themotion of the door to drive the generator through a pulley or fairlead116.

The flexible member 114 is interfaced with an engagement device 150 thatis coupled to an input shaft of the generator 152. The engagement device150 is operable to provide an input rotation to the generator 152 whenthe flexible member 114 is pulled in a first direction as the door 104opens as indicated by arrows 142 and 140, by converting the movement ofthe flexible member 114 into rotary motion of the generator 152.

In one embodiment, the engagement device 150 is configured to drive therotation of the input shaft of the generator 152 as the force of thedoor opening is transferred to the engagement device 150 by the flexiblemember 114, while allowing the input shaft of the generator 152 to spinfreely when the flexible member 114 moves in a direction opposite thefirst direction 142 or is motionless. For example, the engagement device150 and input shaft of the generator 152 may be engaged using a ratchetmechanism that couples the motion of the engagement device 150 (i.e.,spun by the flexible member 114) to the input shaft of the generator 152only when the flexible member 114 is moved in one direction (e.g., thefirst direction 142). In another embodiment, the engagement device 150includes a torsion spring which causes the flexible member 114 to bewound up and stored on the engagement device 150 when the flexiblemember 114 is moved in the second direction.

The generator 152 may also include a flywheel 154 interfaced with theinput shaft or other portion of the generator 152. The flywheel 154allows the generator 152 to continue turning and generating electricityduring periods where the flexible member 114 is motionless and/or movedin the second direction. Thus, the flywheel 154 allows the generator 152allows the generator 152 to more efficiently convert the force appliedto the door 104 into electricity.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the electricity generation system 100 ofFIG. 1 mounted to the doorway 158 illustrating a sweep analysis. Thedoor 104 mounted on hinges 106 an angle θ of sweep and a radius R of avirtual arc represented by the sweep of the door 104. The arc length ofthe sweep of motion proximate the second side 110 of the door 104 isrepresented by S_(B), wherein S_(B)=R_(B)(θ), R_(B) being the distanceof the attachment point of the distal end of the flexible member 114from the axis of the hinge 106. The arc length of the sweep of motionproximate the first side 108 of the door 104 is represented by S_(A),wherein S_(A) ⁼R_(A)(θ), R_(A) being the distance from the axis of thehinge 106. With the angle of sweep at the hinge side of the door andopposite side of the door being equal, and the arc length at the hingeside S_(A) is much less then the arc length S_(B) on the second side 110of the door 104 opposite the hinge 106. Since a larger sweep moves theflexible member 114 a longer distance in the first direction, couplingthe flexible member 114 close to the second side 110 of the door 104away from the hinge 106 will generate more electricity due to the longerand faster movement of the flexible member 114 at the engagement device150.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for a method 300 for generating electricity.The method begins at step 302 by opening a hinged door to cause aflexible member coupled between the door 104 and the generator 152 tomove in a first direction. At step 304, an input rotation to thegenerator 152 is caused by movement of the flexible member 114 in thefirst direction 142, the input rotation causing electricity to begenerated by the generator 152.

In one embodiment, the step 304 of causing the input rotation to thegenerator 152 may include spinning a flywheel.

In another embodiment, the method 300 may include moving the flexiblemember 114 in a second direction without proving a force opposite theinput rotation. For example, the flexible member 114 may be wound on theengagement device 150 as the flexible member 114 moves in a seconddirection.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of an entranceway or doorway 158 withone embodiment of an electricity generation system 400 mounted to aframe 410 of the doorway 158 according to another embodiment of theinvention. The electricity generation system 400 may be, at least in onemode of operation, operated according to the method 300 described above.

The electricity generation system 400 includes at least a flexiblemember 114, a generator 152 and an engagement device 150 disposed in acasing 402. In one embodiment, the generator 152 may be a pancake-typegenerator to more efficiently fit within the casing 402. The generator152 may also include a flywheel 152 as discussed above.

The casing 402 facilitates mounting the electricity generation system400 to the frame 410 of the doorway 158 as further described below. Thecasing 402 may be sized to not extend beyond the frame 410 of thedoorway 158. The casing 402 includes an aperture 414 through which theflexible member 114 is routed. The aperture 414 may includes, or isconfigured as, a fairlead or pulley 120. Alternatively, the fairlead orpulley 120 may be mounted externally to the casing 402 or to the frame410 of the doorway 158.

The engagement device 150 may be configured with a spring loaded orother retraction mechanism to enable the flexible member 114 to beretracted back onto the engagement device 150 after being displaced inthe first direction by opening of the door 104.

The flexible member 114 may include a fitting 522 to facilitate couplingthe flexible member 114 to the door 104. The fitting 522 may be a swagedaircraft eye fitting 550 so that the flexible member 114 maybe easilyattached and detached from the door 104.

Referring additionally to the perspective view of the electricitygeneration system 400 illustrated in FIG. 5, the casing 402 of theelectricity generation system 400 includes a plurality of mounting holes502 to facilitate securing the casing 402 to the frame 410 of thedoorway 158. The casing 402 also a cut-out along its length so that thecasing may be installed flush with the door frame 410 despite thepresence of a raised doorstop component 412 of the doorway 158. Forexample, the cut-out of the casing 402 may be defined between a mainbody 512 and a projecting region 510 of the casing 402. One or both ofthe main body 512 and the projecting region 510 may be rectangular. Inone embodiment, the cut-out of the casing 402 may be defined between atop surface 504 and a front surface 506 of the main body 512 and a topsurface 514 and a front surface 516 of the projecting region 510 whichis configured to mate with the raised doorstop component 412 of thedoorway 158. In another embodiment, the cut-out of the casing 402 may bedefined between a side surface 508 and the front surface 506 of the mainbody 512 and a side surface 518 and the front surface 516 of theprojecting region 510 which is configured to mate with the raiseddoorstop component 412 of the doorway 158.

Thus, a system for generating electricity by harnessing the energydissipated by opening a door about its hinges is provided. The presentinvention supersedes the prior art in efficiency, functionality,applicability, and yield by applying a modular design with a flexiblemember that connects the door to the frame at the point of greatestsweep. The present invention thus captures the greatest amount of motionand converts that into high rpm revolutions in the generator. Theadvantage of the present invention is also that the generator retainsmomentum even after action upon the door has ceased, this means thateven once a door is closed, the generator is still free to continuespinning, and thus generating electricity. The present design does notrequire any modifications to an existing doorway, it is not necessary tointegrate it into the hinges of the doorway, or into the wall of thedoorway. The device can be added to any entranceway that involves a dooropening and closing on hinges, no modifications to the doorway areneeded, the device can be simply mounted in an extremely short amount oftime, and then the generated electricity can be integrated into thebuilding.

1. An energy generating system, comprising: a door; a generator; aflexible member interfaced with the door and generator such that theflexible member is pulled away from the generator when the door is movedto an open position; and an engagement device coupled to the generatorand interfaced with the flexible member, the engagement device operableto provide an input rotation to the generator when the flexible memberis pulled away from the generator in a first direction.
 2. The energygenerating system of claim 1, wherein the flexible member is a cable,wire, rope, chain, belt or line.
 3. The energy generating system ofclaim 1, wherein the engagement device is operable to allow the flexiblemember to move in a second direction without interference with theoperation of the generator.
 4. The energy generating system of claim 1,wherein the engagement device comprises: a spring recoiling mechanismoperable to coil the flexible member when the flexible member moves inthe second direction.
 5. The energy generating system of claim 1 furthercomprising: a casing housing the flexible member, the generator and theengagement device, wherein the flexible member extends through anaperture formed through the casing.
 6. The energy generating system ofclaim 1, wherein an output of the generator is integrated into astructure.
 7. An energy system, comprising: a hinged door being of akind that people walk through; a generator having an output that isintegrated into a structure; a flexible member having a first endcoupled to the door, the first end coupled adjacent an edge of the door,and a second end interfaced with the generator such that the flexiblemember is pulled away from the generator when the door is swung to anopen position; and an engagement device coupled to the generator andinterfaced with the flexible member, the engagement device operable toprovide an input rotation to the generator when the flexible member ispulled in a first direction.
 8. The energy generating system of claim 7,wherein the flexible member is a cable wire, rope, chain, belt or line.9. The energy generating system of claim 7, wherein the engagementdevice is operable to allow the flexible member to move in a seconddirection without interference with the operation of the generator. 10.The energy generating system of claim 7, wherein the engagement devicecomprises: a spring recoiling mechanism operable to coil the flexiblemember when the flexible member moves in the second direction.
 11. Theenergy generating system of claim 7 further comprising: a casing housingthe flexible member, the generator and the engagement device, whereinthe flexible member extends through an aperture formed through thecasing.
 12. The energy generating system of claim 7 wherein thegenerator is mounted to the structure.
 13. The energy generating systemof claim 7, wherein the generator is mounted within the structure. 14.The energy generating system of claim 7, wherein the structure is a wallor door frame.
 15. The energy generating system of claim 7, wherein anangle of the flexible member relative to the structure changes with asweep of the door as the flexible member is pulled in a first direction.16. A method for generating energy, comprising: opening a hinged doorcoupled to a structure to cause a flexible member coupled between thedoor and a generator to move in a first direction; causing an inputrotation to the generator by movement of the flexible member in thefirst direction, the input rotation causing electricity to be generatedby the generator; and integrating the generated electricity into thestructure.
 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising: moving theflexible member in a second direction without providing force oppositethe input rotation.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein moving theflexible member in the second direction comprises: winding the flexiblemember around an engagement device.
 19. The method of claim 16 furthercomprising: guiding the flexible member through a pulley.
 20. The methodor claim 16, wherein causing the input rotation to the generator bymovement of the flexible member in the first direction furthercomprises: pulling the flexible member from a casing housing thegenerator.